Minor League Schedule: Adrian Sampson Tries to Build on His Outstanding First Half

All eight teams on the schedule today. Check out the Prospect Watch from last night. All minor league transactions over the last month can be found at the bottom of the page. Click the link on each pitcher’s name for more information.

Adrian Sampson is second among all Pirates minor league pitchers in strikeouts

Adam Wilk will make his 19th start of the season tonight. He has also pitched once in relief. Wilk has thrown 112.1 innings, allowing 120 hits and 12 homers, all three of the totals are the highest in the Pirates system. He has 28 walks, 81 strikeouts, an 0.84 GO/AO ratio and a .278 BAA. In his last start, Wilk gave up five runs on eight hits in seven innings. He had no walks and eight strikeouts.

Adrian Sampson will make his 20th start of the season tonight. He threw a seven inning complete game in his last outing, allowing one run on four hits and three walks. Sampson faced Bowie on 7/2 and gave up one run on eight hits in six innings. He has 84 strikeouts this year, tying him for the second highest total among all Pirates minor league pitchers. Sampson ranks third in the Eastern League in ERA, fifth in strikeouts and tied for second with a 1.14 WHIP.

Shane Carle will make his second start for Bradenton tonight. In his debut, he allowed two runs on four hits and two walks in six innings. With West Virginia, he made 13 starts and four relief appearances. In 82.1 innings, he surrendered 96 hits, nine homers and just nine walks. Carle had 47 strikeouts, a 1.81 GO/AO ratio and a .293 BAA.

Buddy Borden will make his 19th start of the season tonight. He has also pitched once in relief. Borden has thrown 87 innings, giving up 71 hits, ten homers and 36 walks. He has 73 strikeouts, an 0.99 GO/AO ratio and a .220 BAA. Borden has thrown 11.2 shutout innings over his last two starts, giving up just three hits. Last time he faced Rome, he allowed three runs over five innings.

Tyler Eppler will get his seventh start of the season tonight. He has thrown 26 innings, allowing 21 hits, three homers and five walks. He has 15 strikeouts, an 0.85 GO/AO ratio and a .216 BAA. In his last start, Eppler threw five shutout innings. In each of his two road starts, he has allowed three runs over five innings.

Mervin Del Rosario will make his first start of the season. In six relief appearances, he has thrown 14.1 innings, allowing 16 hits, two homers and seven walks. He has nine strikeouts, a 1.06 GO/AO ratio and a .296 BAA. In the GCL last year, Del Rosario had a 6/32 BB/SO ratio in 38.1 innings. Check out the Bristol season preview.

Mitch Keller will make his second start and third appearance today. He has thrown a total of five shutout innings since signing as the second round pick in the 2014 draft. Trey Supak, who was chosen 73rd overall in this draft, will likely follow Keller. They have been pitching on the same day. Check out the GCL Pirates season preview.

John was born in Kearny, NJ, hometown of the 2B for the Pirates 1909 World Championship team, Dots Miller. In fact they have some of the same relatives in common, so it was only natural for him to become a lifelong Pirates fan. Before joining Pirates Prospects in July 2010, John had written numerous articles on the history of baseball while also releasing his own book and co-authoring another on the history of the game. He writes a weekly article on Pirates history for the site, has already interviewed many of the current minor leaguers with many more on the way and follows the foreign minor league teams very closely for the site. John also provides in person game reports of the West Virginia Power and Altoona Curve.